1. TA S K 3 : T R A N S L A T I O N C O M P L E X I T Y
P R E S E N T E D B Y
M A R C O T U L I O O S P I N A V I L L A B O N A – 9 1 . 2 9 2 . 7 9 9
F A B I A N R O G E L I O S A A V E D R A – 9 1 . 3 5 6 . 0 3 8
K A R O L L I L I A N A B L A N C O
C A R L O S M I G U E L V E R G E L - 1 3 . 1 7 7 . 4 0 1
T U T O R
A N G I E L O R E N A S A L G A D O
Translation techniques - Group 10
Universidad Abierta y a Distancia, UNAD
October 15th, 2018
2. UNIT 1:
T H E C O N C E P T O F
T R A N S L A T I O N A N D
I T S C O M P L E X I T Y
4. ST TO TT CONSOLIDATION ON THE TEXT “SMART ENERGY”
FIRST PARAGRAPH
SMART ENERGY
PARAGRAPH 1 in the ST
The next few decades will see great changes in the way energy is supplied and used. In some major oil
producing nations, 'peak oil' has already been reached, and there are increasing fears of global
warming. Consequently, many countries are focusing on the switch to a low carbon economy. This
transition will lead to major changes in the supply and use of electricity. Firstly, there will be an
increase in overall demand, as consumers switch from oil and gas to electricity to power their homes
and vehicles. Secondly, there will be an increase in power generation, not only in terms of how much is
generated, but also how it is generated, as there is growing electricity generation from renewable
sources. To meet these challenges, countries are investing in Smart Grid technology. This system aims
to provide the electricity industry with a better understanding of power generation and demand, and to
use this information to create a more efficient power network.
PÁRRAFO 1 as a TT
Durante las próximas décadas se verán grandes cambios en la manera como la energía es suministrada
y utilizada. En algunas de las principales naciones productoras de aceite, el pico mayor de producción
de petróleo ya ha sido alcanzado, y eso aumentan los temores por el calentamiento global. Por
consiguiente, varios países están concentrados en cambiar la economía con bajas emisiones de
carbono. Esta transición liderará cambios importantes en el suministro y uso de la electricidad.
Primero que todo, Habrá un incremento en la demanda general, a medida que los consumidores
cambien el aceite y el gas por la electricidad para alimentar sus hogares y vehículos. En segundo lugar,
habrá un incremento en la producción eléctrica, no únicamente en términos de cuanta energía es
generada sino también como es generada, en tanto haya crecimiento en la producción de la electricidad
desde los recursos renovables. Para asumir estos desafíos, los países están investigando tecnología de
redes inteligentes. Este sistema tiene el propósito de proveer a la industria de la electricidad con un
mejor entendimiento de generación de energía y demanda y utilizar esta información para crear una red
de energía más eficiente.
5. ST TO TT CONSOLIDATION ON THE TEXT “SMART ENERGY”
SECOND PARAGRAPH
SMART ENERGY
PARAGRAPH 2 in the ST
Smart Grid technology basically involves the application of a computer system to the electricity
network. The computer system can be used to collect information about supply and demand and
improve engineer's ability to manage the system. With better information about electricity demand,
the network will be able to increase the amount of electricity delivered per unit generated, leading to
potential reductions in fuel needs and carbon emissions. Moreover, the computer system will assist in
reducing operational and maintenance costs.
PÁRRAFO 2 as a TT
La tecnología Smart Grid implica básicamente la aplicación de un sistema informático a la red
eléctrica. El sistema informático se puede utilizar para recopilar información sobre la oferta y la
demanda y mejorar la capacidad del ingeniero para administrar el sistema. Con una mejor
información sobre la demanda de electricidad, la red podrá aumentar la cantidad de electricidad
entregada por unidad generada, lo que dará lugar a posibles reducciones en las necesidades de
combustible y las emisiones de carbono. Además, el sistema informático ayudará a reducir los costos
operativos y de mantenimiento.
6. ST TO TT CONSOLIDATION ON THE TEXT “SMART ENERGY”
THIRD PARAGRAPH
SMART ENERGY
PARAGRAPH 3 in the ST
Smart Grid technology offers benefits to the consumer too. They will be able to collect real-time
information on their energy use for each appliance. Varying tariffs throughout the day will give
customers the incentive to use appliances at times when supply greatly exceeds demand, leading to
great reductions in bills. For example, they may use their washing machines at night. Smart meters
can also be connected to the internet or telephone system, allowing customers to switch appliances
on or off remotely. Furthermore, if houses are fitted with the apparatus to generate their own power,
appliances can be set to run directly from the on-site power source, and any excess can be sold to the
grid.
PÁRRAFO 3 as a TT
La tecnología Red Inteligente también ofrece beneficios para el consumidor. Ellos podrán reunir
información en tiempo real sobre su uso de energía para cada aparato. La variación de las tarifas a lo
largo del día dará a los clientes el incentivo de usar electrodomésticos en tiempos cuando la oferta
supera ampliamente la demanda, lo que conlleva grandes reducciones en las facturas. Por ejemplo,
ellos pueden usar sus lavadoras en la noche. Los medidores inteligentes también pueden ser
conectados a Internet o al sistema telefónico, permitiendo a los clientes encender o apagar aparatos
de forma remota. Además, si las casas están equipadas con el aparato para generar su propia
energía, los dispositivos pueden ser configurados para que funcionen directamente desde la fuente de
energía, y cualquier exceso puede ser vendido a la red.
7. ST TO TT CONSOLIDATION ON THE TEXT “SMART ENERGY”
FOURTH PARAGRAPH
SMART ENERGY
PARAGRAPH 4 in the ST
With these changes comes a range of challenges. The first involves managing the supply and demand. Sources of
renewable energy, such as wind, wave and solar, are notoriously unpredictable, and nuclear power, which is also
set to increase as nations switch to alternative energy sources, is inflexible. With oil and gas, it is relatively simple
to increase the supply of energy to match the increasing demand during peak times of the day or year. With
alternative sources, this is far more difficult, and may lead to blackouts or system collapse. Potential solutions
include investigating new and efficient ways to store energy and encouraging consumers to use electricity at off-
peak times. A second problem is the fact that many renewable power generation sources are located
in remote areas, such as windy uplands and coastal regions, where there is currently a lack of electrical
infrastructure. New infrastructures therefore must be built. Thankfully, with improved smart technology, this can
be done more efficiently by reducing the reinforcement or construction costs.
PÁRRAFO 4 as a TT
Con estos cambios viene una serie de desafios. El primero involucra el manejo de la oferta y la demanda. Las
fuentes de energía renovable, tales como el viento, las olas y la energía solar, se hacen notar por su
impredecibilidad, y la energía nuclear, la cual también aumentará a medida que los países se cambian a las fuentes
de energía alternativa, es inflexible. Con el petróleo y el gas, es relativamente sencillo incrementar el suministro
de energía para dar abasto con la cada vez mayor demanda durante las horas pico del día o del año. Con fuentes
alternativas, es mucho más difícil, y se puede llegar a apagones o a un colapso del sistema. Posibles soluciones
incluyen investigar nuevas e eficientes formas de almacenar energía y motivar a los consumidores para usar la
electricidad fuera de las horas pico. Un segundo problema es el hecho de que muchas fuentes de generación de
energía renovable están localizadas en áreas remotas, tal como cimas donde corre el viento y regiones costeras,
donde hay actualmente una falta de infraestructura eléctrica. Nuevas infraestructuras por consiguiente deben
construirse. Afortunadamente, con el mejoramiento de la tecnología inteligente, eso se puede realizar más
eficientemente mediante la reducción de los costos de refuerzo o construcción.
8. ST TO TT CONSOLIDATION ON THE TEXT “SMART ENERGY”
FIFTH PARAGRAPH
SMART ENERGY
PARAGRAPH 5 in the ST
Although Smart Technology is still in its infancy, pilot schemes to promote and test it are already underway. Consumers
are currently testing the new smart meters which can be used in their homes to manage electricity use. There are also a
number of demonstrations being planned to show how the smart technology could practically work, and trials are in place
to test the new electrical infrastructure. It is likely that technology will be added in 'layers', starting with 'quick win'
methods which will provide initial carbon savings, to be followed by more advanced systems at a later date.
Cities are prime candidates for investment into smart energy, due to the high population density and high energy use. It is
here where Smart Technology is likely to be promoted first, utilising a range of sustainable power sources, transport
solutions and an infrastructure for charging electrically powered vehicles. The infrastructure is already changing fast. By
the year 2050, changes in the energy supply will have transformed our homes, our roads and our behaviour.
PÁRRAFO 5 as a TT
Aunque la tecnología inteligente aún se encuentra en su infancia, ya están en funcionamiento esquemas piloto para
promoverla y ponerla a prueba. Los consumidores están actualmente poniendo a prueba los nuevos medidores inteligentes
que se pueden usar en sus casas para el manejo del consumo de electricidad. Hay también un número de demostraciones
que están siendo programadas para indicar como la tecnología inteligente podría funcionar de forma práctica, con pruebas
en ejecución para evaluar la nueva infraestructura eléctrica. Es muy probable que la tecnología se incorpore por “capas”
comenzando con métodos de “Ganancia rápida” que brindarán un ahorro inicial de carbón, que serán seguidos por
sistemas más avanzados en un día futuro.
Las ciudades son las principales candidatas en las cuales se invertirá en Energía inteligente, debido a su alta densidad
poblacional y al alto consumo energético. Es allí donde más probablemente se promocione de primero la tecnología
inteligente, utilizando una gama fuentes energéticas sostenibles, soluciones de transporte y una infraestructura para
recargar vehículos eléctricos. La infraestructura ya está rápidamente cambiando. Para el año 2050, los cambios en el
suministro energético habrá transformado nuestras casas, nuestras carreteras y nuestro comportamiento.
9. R E F L E C T I O N S O N
T H E C O M P L E X I T Y O F
T H E T R A N S L A T I O N
P R O C E S S
10. BY CARLOS MIGUEL VERGEL
At the moment of translating the paragraph with the words with the familiar words that were there and,
therefore, what is the best way to translate, but still missing the words that were left untranslated, such as:
Smart Grid, which is an intelligent electricity network, therefore it has no translation.
11. BY FABIAN ROGELIO SAAVEDRA
The text “Smart Grid” is a scientific article, which talks about electricity distribution grid combined with modern information technologies,
in order to help consumers in their economy and the conservation of the environment. It uses a technical language, and it has some
expressions and words hard to translate.
Although the paragraph does not have words from another language (without translation), maybe, the words "Smart Grid" can be
considered as such. here you can use the borrowing translation technique.
Initially, I found a phrase with a modal verb. “they will be able to collect real time information…” It is a compound verb; therefore, it is
impossible to translate word for word. For that reason, I used the technique literal translation.
Then, I was confused with the phrase: “when supply greatly exceeds demand, leading to great reductions in bills”. I solved the problem
with the same technique.
Now, in the same paragraph I found the word "appliance" several times, and I did not know how to use it without it sounding like a crutch.
Then I investigated and discovered that the word has several synonyms when it is translated (appliance, apparatus, device, application). In
this way I could use it.
In general terms, the most used technique was literal translation, since, the paragraph has sentences which can be translated word for
word and others not. It is depending on the language structure.
Note: I couldn't use more techniques of translation in that paragraph. I don't know if it is possible.
12. BY MARCO OSPINA
First and foremost, I must say that this activity in general attests to the fact that translation isn´t just
the bare movement of words from language into another one, we have to be aware of the
involvement of other factors such as the assumption of semantic, syntactic and pragmatic nuances
and the special need for socio-cultural interpretations.
As for paragraph 4 & 5, their translation process required a lot of indirect or oblique translation
techniques such as modulation, transposition, and some adaptations in order to finish it successfully.
Second of all, it seems like when we translate from English to Spanish we end up using a couple more
words.
Therefore, in my process beyond translating some parts literally, my process entailed using other
translation techniques in order to translate without altering the overall content or meaning such as:
• Transposition
• Modulation
• Equivalence
• Compensation
13. BY MARCO OSPINA
SOURCE TEXT FROM PARAGRAPH 4 SPANISH TRANSLATION TECHNIQUE
With these changes comes a range of challenges. Con estos cambios viene una serie de desafios. Modulation:
Used here to sound more natural
The first involves managing the supply and demand. desafios. El primero involucra el manejo de la oferta y
la demanda.
Transposition due to change in
grammatical category
Sources of renewable energy, such as wind, wave and
solar, are notoriously unpredictable
Las fuentes de energía renovable, tales como el
viento, las olas y la energía solar, se hacen notar por
(su) impredecibilidad
Transposition:
Used here because I changed the
grammatical category of
“notoriously” and “unpredictable”
Compensation: to give room to new
articles not present in the original
such as: las y su
With oil and gas, it is relatively simple to increase the
supply of energy to match the increasing demand
during peak times of the day
Con el petróleo y el gas, es relativamente sencillo
incrementar el suministro de energía para dar abasto
con la cada vez mayor demanda durante las horas pico
del día.
Modulation: in translating simple as
sencillo.
Also in translating the infinitive “to
match” as “para dar abasto con”
With alternative sources, this is far more difficult, and
may lead to blackouts or system collapse.
Con fuentes alternativas, es mucho más difícil, y
puede llevar a apagones o a un colapso del sistema.
Transposition
Modulation in apagones for
blackouts.
Equivalence in translating “far more”
as “mucho mas”
A second problem is the fact that many renewable
power generation sources are located in remote areas.
Un segundo problema es el hecho de que muchas
fuentes de generación de energía renovable están
localizadas en áreas remotas
Transposition
Potential solutions include investigating new and
efficient ways to store energy and encouraging
consumers to use electricity at off-peak times.
Posibles soluciones incluyen investigar nuevas e
eficientes formas de almacenar energía y motivar a los
consumidores para usar la electricidad fuera de las
horas pico.
Transposition and
Modulation when the original
semantics is changed.
New infrastructures therefore must be built. Nuevas infraestructuras por consiguiente deben
construirse.
Modulation
14. BY KAROL LILIANA BLANCO
This paragraph talks about how the energy is been used around the world and how its production is changing through the years
with the objective to use renewable sources. In the reading, I found some problems in the translation like unknown words and
difficult sentences with some unknown expressions. Firstly, expressions like “peak oil” and “smart grid”, I think in these situations
we can write the expression like it seems (using the borrowing technique) or simply write it or trying to make the translation in
order to clarify the meaning (using the reformulation technique). These kinds of expressions are recognized in different social
contexts as follows: “peak oil” in the economy culture and “smart grid” in the technology culture.
Secondly, In the phrase “the next few decades”, the translation was modified, because if I used the English structure the phrase had
sounded very weird, so I preferred write the sentence in a Spanish structure without lose the meaningful. The same case took place
with the expression “there are increasing fears” I tried to modulate the phrase in order to complete the sentence in a logical way
for the Spanish readers.
Thirdly, I practiced the transposition technique with the expression “global warming” in which was necessary to change the order
of words: “calentamiento global”.
Other example was “on the switch to a low carbon economy, in the case, I tried to express the idea in a completely different way
reformulating the sentence: “en cambiar la economía con bajas emisiones de carbono”.
In the following sentence the expression “as there is growing” for me, was very complicated because the Spanish translation was
very strange, for that, I reformulate the phrase in a different form without lose the sense “en tanto haya crecimiento en la
producción de la electricidad”.
Finally, I used the calque technique with the expression “power generation”, it’s a phrase borrowed from English language and
translated literally word by word, in Spanish could be “generación de poder”.
